@JPO adjust the bevel with your 1k stone. i use chosera 1k. then jump to La Lune. Create slurry that is not overly dense and use the dilution. Before you go completely into the water, wash the stone with water and if you wish, create a very very thin slurry, add mineral oil to the finish or just finish with mineral oil. If you use it this way, La Lune's own edge will emerge. If you want to use it only as a finisher when you pass a stone such as a coticule or 8k synthetic stone, 8-10 passes with ultra-light strokes are sufficient. otherwise a toothy edge or microchips is formed quickly. If you are going to use it as a finisher, the edge must be well prepared. otherwise, when there are deep scratches near the edge, etc., micro chips are formed quickly on the edge. I also want to say this about la lune. I think surface preparation is important in this stone. I have noticed that when you slurry with the diamond plate or after flattening the stone the stone cuts the edge aggressively. so i don't use diamond plate other than flattening. I apply dressing with slurry stone after flattening.
My La Lune arrived safely
- Thread starter kcb5150
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I have now tried to use my two La Lune stones multiple ways. My last attempt was jumping from a 12k to the La Lune. I only did 10 laps with oil.
This was what happened.
The stone starts to chew up the edge in a short time.
Previous attempts using slurry from a lower grit stone resulted in a rounded apex from the slurry.
After 5 short strokes on TI pasted balsa and stropping on linen and leather improved the edge noticeably.
So, my stone can be usable as a finisher, but I really doubt it did anything good to the 12k edge.
I agree with you but before I move on to my own opinions, is there a photo where I can see the edge after 12k? And can you tell us about the steel of the razor you know? And what type? Full/Extra Hollow, Wedge etc.
I did not take a foto at 12k. I just inspected the edge, and it looked better then the La Lune edge. That does not mean this will not shave well, or that the 12k would perform better.
This is a Dovo 5/8 razor ( full hollow).
It is an interesting stone, but there is allot of natural stones that are much more forgiving.
The slurry is far too aggressive. Lather or oil only are the only way I've gotten good shaves from them. Plain water leaves an edge that likes to eat skin.
Yeah it is. I've made the slurry mistake on the purple ones, I've made the plain water mistake too. I'll probably put mineral oil or Proraso on it.
So far that is the same conclusion I have. The slurry creates too much damage, and using it with oil after a good 12k edge seems to work OK.
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- #188
I don't even get why he included a tomo with the modern ones (or why people insist on slurrying everything but that's another matter)when you have the combined knowledge of decades of those things being sold and used to sort of lean on and guide you.
The slurry is fantastic on knives though. Really really aggressive edges.
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@JPO I did all these tests last year too. I tested it for 3 months and shaved with it. and I still use it from time to time. I wrote some things about my results in this forum, Facebook and local forums in Turkey. I also shared some of it with Nicholas. He originally listed them as 15000 grit. Then he changed. He listed it as 12,000-15,000 grits. Then 10,000-12,000 grits. I recently bought a new one from him on ebay. It was listed for 8,000-10,000k 
I hope you know what I mean? I agree with you. I've never seen it improve the 12,000k edge. Of course, it also depends on what we understand by the improvement of the edge? If we expect gradual increase in sharpness, comfort and durability of the edge, my results were not like this.
The Dovo you are using has 115crv3 steel. Also known as 1.22 silversteel. The limits of this steel are at the level of 1 micron. 12K Naniwa is very close to this limit. Can this limit be exceeded? yes. So what happens when we move on? The durability of the edge decreases.
Speaking for the Naniwa synthetics, if we did everything right up to the 8000k and have a refined edge, yes, 8-10 stroke on that edge will move the edge forward, but it's not a Shapton 30k or Gokumyo 20k edge as written in these forums. Neither is the Naniwa SS12k edge. After a coticule, it will take the edge forward again, but the point where the edge will come is not as smooth and comfortable as an Escher in my opinion. The problem stems from the expectation created by the grit values that the seller lists it (in fact, I have always found the grit conversations for natural stones disturbing and confusing) and the exaggerated comments posted on the forums. There were also those who wrote that the Old La Lunes were 30,000 grits. La Lune is a versatile stone in my opinion. It is a stone as versatile as a Coticule and I can get sharper edges than the edge but it is not a very suitable stone for beginners.
I recommend you to try French steel c100 and c135, and Eskilstuna's steel in your tests. Also, you will get better results by trying razors such as quarter/half hollow and wedge razors instead of extra hollow razors. As I wrote in my first comment, if you are going to use La Lune as a finisher, make sure everything is perfect up to 8k. 8-10 laps are enough. When you want to use La Lune with slurry after 8k, you will not use 8-10 laps. The appearance of the edge after the first few passes will scare you, but do not worry and continue the laps. After a while, the edge is equalized again. Then you can make the final finish with oil.
I hope you know what I mean? I agree with you. I've never seen it improve the 12,000k edge. Of course, it also depends on what we understand by the improvement of the edge? If we expect gradual increase in sharpness, comfort and durability of the edge, my results were not like this.The Dovo you are using has 115crv3 steel. Also known as 1.22 silversteel. The limits of this steel are at the level of 1 micron. 12K Naniwa is very close to this limit. Can this limit be exceeded? yes. So what happens when we move on? The durability of the edge decreases.
Speaking for the Naniwa synthetics, if we did everything right up to the 8000k and have a refined edge, yes, 8-10 stroke on that edge will move the edge forward, but it's not a Shapton 30k or Gokumyo 20k edge as written in these forums. Neither is the Naniwa SS12k edge. After a coticule, it will take the edge forward again, but the point where the edge will come is not as smooth and comfortable as an Escher in my opinion. The problem stems from the expectation created by the grit values that the seller lists it (in fact, I have always found the grit conversations for natural stones disturbing and confusing) and the exaggerated comments posted on the forums. There were also those who wrote that the Old La Lunes were 30,000 grits. La Lune is a versatile stone in my opinion. It is a stone as versatile as a Coticule and I can get sharper edges than the edge but it is not a very suitable stone for beginners.
I recommend you to try French steel c100 and c135, and Eskilstuna's steel in your tests. Also, you will get better results by trying razors such as quarter/half hollow and wedge razors instead of extra hollow razors. As I wrote in my first comment, if you are going to use La Lune as a finisher, make sure everything is perfect up to 8k. 8-10 laps are enough. When you want to use La Lune with slurry after 8k, you will not use 8-10 laps. The appearance of the edge after the first few passes will scare you, but do not worry and continue the laps. After a while, the edge is equalized again. Then you can make the final finish with oil.
I agree with this very much to the fact that lots of naturals get a bad reputation because their qualities are exaggerated and they disappoint due to exaggerations. I try to always make it clear to everyone(especially new people) I don't use synths, save an india stone. When I talk about how far an edge can go on a stone I never try to assign grit because natural stone doesn't work that way. Coticules are a great example. Ice had coticules that I thought weren't fine enough for me for a close shave but when plucked up 6 months later they produce an edge that's in top 5 for keenness. Natural stones have to be learned, every single stone is different. You get some stone types that are very consistent but most have a pretty wide variation. I think a lot of the time this isn't considered and people get disappointed with what they bought. That or bad vendors selling bunk stones. I have a vintage blue la lune im going to try to finish flattening tomorrow and I intend to put French steel to it. I had a couple people ones I sold to members here recently and I have one from 1stone. The one for one stone is much faster than the others were, but they were smoother.i used to use knives on them regularly because of their speed. I've got couple pieces laying around that were suggested to be blue la lune but im not sure about that. They behave like a newly mined one, and are very fast so I don't care what we call them.@JPO I did all these tests last year too. I tested it for 3 months and shaved with it. and I still use it from time to time. I wrote some things about my results in this forum, Facebook and local forums in Turkey. I also shared some of it with Nicholas. He originally listed them as 15000 grit. Then he changed. He listed it as 12,000-15,000 grits. Then 10,000-12,000 grits. I recently bought a new one from him on ebay. It was listed for 8,000-10,000k
The Dovo you are using has 115crv3 steel. Also known as 1.22 silversteel. The limits of this steel are at the level of 1 micron. 12K Naniwa is very close to this limit. Can this limit be exceeded? yes. So what happens when we move on? The durability of the edge decreases.
Speaking for the Naniwa synthetics, if we did everything right up to the 8000k and have a refined edge, yes, 8-10 stroke on that edge will move the edge forward, but it's not a Shapton 30k or Gokumyo 20k edge as written in these forums. Neither is the Naniwa SS12k edge. After a coticule, it will take the edge forward again, but the point where the edge will come is not as smooth and comfortable as an Escher in my opinion. The problem stems from the expectation created by the grit values that the seller lists it (in fact, I have always found the grit conversations for natural stones disturbing and confusing) and the exaggerated comments posted on the forums. There were also those who wrote that the Old La Lunes were 30,000 grits. La Lune is a versatile stone in my opinion. It is a stone as versatile as a Coticule and I can get sharper edges than the edge but it is not a very suitable stone for beginners.
I recommend you to try French steel c100 and c135, and Eskilstuna's steel in your tests. Also, you will get better results by trying razors such as quarter/half hollow and wedge razors instead of extra hollow razors. As I wrote in my first comment, if you are going to use La Lune as a finisher, make sure everything is perfect up to 8k. 8-10 laps are enough. When you want to use La Lune with slurry after 8k, you will not use 8-10 laps. The appearance of the edge after the first few passes will scare you, but do not worry and continue the laps. After a while, the edge is equalized again. Then you can make the final finish with oil.
I don't understand this statement. A bevel at a certain bevel angle is similar on all razors, regardless of how it is supported by different grinds.
I just think this stone, if sold for razor use is too expensive for what it is. Even a average performing jnat gives better edges, and is easier to use.
I have had marginally better results with French steel on the La Lune. Most of the time the shave felt like 8k edges. I also usually ended up with random weepers. That is usually a sign of micro-teeth, which I saw under magnification.
I will continue to play with the two I have. I also have a sparkly black one that actually seems to be a little finer then the purple.
I know you can't assign a grit rating to natural stones. However, you can compare what something like an 8k edge feels like. My La Lune stones did not feel like they were more then 8k.
If I really tried to maximise the potential of a good 8k, I think it would beat my La Lune stones.
- Thread starter
- #193
Were these all current production? I have often scratched my head when I have heard people describe how these are vs the vintage quarried ones which is all I'm used to.
I've had both and the newer ones do leave much not aggressive edges and will absolutly cause micro chipping on any amount of slurry. Be ones impart a much keener edge, with fewer strokes but the older ones were much smoother shaves and a little slower. I haven't tried my sparkly black one yet because it's still got s little bit of a belly in it.
Yes, my stones are new production stock.
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